"Medicine is a social science, and politics is nothing else but medicine on a large scale"—Rudolf Virchow

February 20, 2014

OCHA: An overview of plague in Madagascar

A humanitarian bulletin from OCHA (in French) is by far the most detailed account of the current plague outbreak in Madagascar. The link will take you to a PDF covering numerous issues on the island; here's a Google translation of the plague section:

Every year, between 300 to 1,200 suspected cases of plague are reported mainly in areas of the central highlands of the country. The country has experienced since October 2013 a rougher plague season. The beginning of the season has been plague especially marked by the outbreak of deadly pneumonic plague in two districts ( Mandritsara and Ikongo ). These two districts were little affected these recent years, but they are characterized by a large landlocked and by poor health coverage , which explains the appearance of the form pulmonary highly contagious.

The recorded Mandritsara epidemic spread, as always Lung, district neighbor Soanierana Ivongo, area traditionally free transmission of bubonic plague , and which was for the first After the plague, and more in its most virulent form.

In total, 109 cases of plague, which 97% of pulmonary form, were identified after an investigation in the three affected districts , among which there were 38 deaths. These three homes epidemic are now totally controlled and contained, the last case date of 16 December 2013 for primary homes and Mandritsara Ikongo and December 23 for the secondary home Soanierana Ivongo.

However, further outbreaks of bubonic plague - less dangerous than the plague lung - have emerged since October in the main endemic areas plague located on the central highlands of the country (regions Amoron'i Mania Analamanga, Bongolava and Vakinankaratra ).

A total of 10 regions , which correspond to 27 health districts were notified that 285 suspected or confirmed cases of plague in the last quarter of the year 2013, with 71 deaths. 40% of these 285 cases were pulmonary form or three times more than for 2012. However, it should be noted that among the 285 cases, 155 - including 34 deaths - were actually confirmed by rapid test or laboratory. All these homes, which are located in rural areas, were quickly controlled by the health teams from the Ministry of Health and its partners technologies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pasteur Institute Madagascar (IPM) and the Malagasy Red Cross.

In early 2014 , a new outbreak occurred in the district of Antanifotsy with six cases of bubonic plague, but have all been taken care of properly and healed.

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OCHA: An overview of plague in Madagascar

A humanitarian bulletin from OCHA (in French) is by far the most detailed account of the current plague outbreak in Madagascar. The link will take you to a PDF covering numerous issues on the island; here's a Google translation of the plague section:

Every year, between 300 to 1,200 suspected cases of plague are reported mainly in areas of the central highlands of the country. The country has experienced since October 2013 a rougher plague season. The beginning of the season has been plague especially marked by the outbreak of deadly pneumonic plague in two districts ( Mandritsara and Ikongo ). These two districts were little affected these recent years, but they are characterized by a large landlocked and by poor health coverage , which explains the appearance of the form pulmonary highly contagious.

The recorded Mandritsara epidemic spread, as always Lung, district neighbor Soanierana Ivongo, area traditionally free transmission of bubonic plague , and which was for the first After the plague, and more in its most virulent form.

In total, 109 cases of plague, which 97% of pulmonary form, were identified after an investigation in the three affected districts , among which there were 38 deaths. These three homes epidemic are now totally controlled and contained, the last case date of 16 December 2013 for primary homes and Mandritsara Ikongo and December 23 for the secondary home Soanierana Ivongo.

However, further outbreaks of bubonic plague - less dangerous than the plague lung - have emerged since October in the main endemic areas plague located on the central highlands of the country (regions Amoron'i Mania Analamanga, Bongolava and Vakinankaratra ).

A total of 10 regions , which correspond to 27 health districts were notified that 285 suspected or confirmed cases of plague in the last quarter of the year 2013, with 71 deaths. 40% of these 285 cases were pulmonary form or three times more than for 2012. However, it should be noted that among the 285 cases, 155 - including 34 deaths - were actually confirmed by rapid test or laboratory. All these homes, which are located in rural areas, were quickly controlled by the health teams from the Ministry of Health and its partners technologies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pasteur Institute Madagascar (IPM) and the Malagasy Red Cross.

In early 2014 , a new outbreak occurred in the district of Antanifotsy with six cases of bubonic plague, but have all been taken care of properly and healed.